THE CLAN JETTIES OF PENANG CONSE

The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
Rediscovering Historic Communal Sites and Commemorating their
hiStories – The Case of the Clan Jetties
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd.
School of Social Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
ABSTRACT
Penang has a rich cultural heritage of various ethnic and migrant communities – the
Achinese, Arabs, Armenians, Burmese, Chinese, Eurasians, Indians, Japanese, Javanese, Jews,
Persians and Siamese. Yet many of these are no longer visible or even remembered. The recent
series of colloquia on “The Penang Story” have „rediscovered‟ these diverse cultural communities
and communal sites. Many of these sites were also settlements of resilient immigrants that have
adapted their varied social-cultural forms of organization and practices to help them thrive, while
contributing to the growth of early Penang. Indeed, their stories have unearthed their significant
contributions to the vibrant social-cultural formation and development of historic Penang as a
global multi-cultural city.
Today, in 21st century Penang, many of these communal sites are either in the process of
disappearing or have vanished. Even for communities like the Clan Jetties in Weld Quay that
have physically survived the threat of urbanization, their social-cultural mechanisms have long
been reconstituted. Among the remaining jetties, only the Chew Jetty continues to have any clan-
related activity – the once a year annual worship of its Temple Deity and to Heaven God. Indeed,
the identity and history of this communal site may soon be forgotten. How can the rich cultural
heritage of historic communal sites like the clan jetties be preserved? How can they be preserved
not merely as static exhibits of dying cultural communities for the tourist gaze, but more
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd, Rediscovering Hi stori c Communal Sites and 1/26
Commemorating their historie s – The Ca se of the Clan Jetties
The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
importantly, recovered in a manner that take cognizance of their respective lived experiences and
roles in building early Penang into a truly multicultural port city.
Using the Clan Jetties in Weld Quay as the reference case, this paper aims to initiate a
discourse on ways to preserve and commemorate the rich heritage of these diverse cultural
communities and communal sites. The first part of this paper outlines the development of a
communal site by „sinkeh‟ (literally new guests, meaning foreign immigrants) who were bonded
by a common lineage and clan history. Together with their Indian counterparts, these Chinese
sinkeh provided the invisible coolie (labourer) force for the daily running of the historic port. The
second section describes the disintegration of the communal site as a social-cultural community
as illustrated in the case of the Chew Jetty. The paper concludes by addressing the issue of
preservation and commemoration of communal sites that not only celebrate their diversity, but
also restore memories of their social histories and contributions - the cultural capital for future
generations of Penangites and tourists alike.
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd, Rediscovering Hi stori c Communal Sites and 2/26
Commemorating their historie s – The Ca se of the Clan Jetties
The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
Introduction
Penang has a rich cultural heritage of various ethnic and immigrant communities – the
Arabs, Achehnese, Armenians, Burmese, Chinese, Chinese-Muslims, Eurasians, Indians, Indian-
Muslims, Japanese, Javanese, Malays, Persians, Siamese, Thais and many others. Yet many of
these are no longer visible or remembered. The recent series of colloquia on the various ethnic
and minority communities in Penang have „rediscovered‟ these diverse cultural communities and
communal sites. A communal site is a physical and cultural space occupied by a particular social
group that is usually very closely knitted through shared cultural practices and social institutions,
including even similar and specialized occupational activities or trades. A distinctive feature of a
communal site is its cultural practices and ethnic life that has evolved (and modified) over time
and become identified with a particular social group in a particular locale. Many of these sites
are\were also settlements of resilient immigrants that have adapted their varied social-cultural
forms of organization and practices to help them thrive, while contributing to the growth of early
Penang. Indeed, the stories of these cultural communities have unearthed their significant
contributions to the vibrant social-cultural formation and historical development of Penang as a
global multi-cultural city.
Today, in 21-century Penang, many of these communal sites are either in the process of
disappearing or have vanished because of urban development, modernization and social
transformation. Even for communities, like the Clan Jetties in Weld Quay that have physically
survived the threat of rapid urbanization and remain somewhat in tact, their social-cultural
institutions and practices have long been transformed or disappeared. Apart from the legacy of
their lineage identity and characteristic floating dwellings distinctively positioned in Penang‟s
historic waterfront, the clan jetties are now like any other low-income urban community. Among
the existing cluster of jetties, only the Chew Jetty continue to have any collective clan based
event. Even then, this takes place only once a year in the annual worship of their temple‟s deity
and `Tee Kong‟ (God of Heaven or Sky-God 1 ). Unless some form of revitalization takes place,
the social-cultural distinctiveness of the jetties will eventually dissipate. Its identity and history as
a communal site will be forgotten even though the area may flourish as a popular catchment for
low-rent housing.
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd, Rediscovering Hi stori c Communal Sites and 3/26
Commemorating their historie s – The Ca se of the Clan Jetties
The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
Penang is now at an interesting juncture that recognizes its historic potential for it to be
positioned as a world heritage site to increase its competitive edge for cultural and susta inable
tourism. The question is how does one preserve the rich cultural heritage of these diverse historic
communal sites in a manner that can capture and record the living memories, identities and
contributions of these various groups? How can these communal sites be preserved not merely as
static exhibits of dying cultural communities for the tourist gaze, but more importantly, reclaimed
in a manner that take cognizance of their social histories so that their lived experiences and roles
in building early Penang into a truly multi-ethnic global city can be recovered.
It may not be possible or even desirable to preserve or regenerate all these communal
sites in their original form (or locale). However, it is important to recover and reclaim their
legacies and place in the history of Penang. The attempt to position Penang on the map of world
heritage provides the timely opportunity for Penang and its various stakeholders to take up the
challenge before the tangible evidence of the past is totally erased. Using the Clan Jetties of Weld
Quay as the reference case, this paper aims to initiate a discourse on how best to preserve and
commemorate the rich heritage of these diverse cultural communities and communal sites in
Penang.
The first part of this paper outlines the development and disintegration of a historic
communal site established by „sinkeh‟ (literally new guests – meaning new immigrants) who
were bonded by their common lineage and clan history 2 . The second part of the paper addresses
the preservation and commemoration of historic communal sites like the clan jetties that will
inevitable disappear or have already vanished. Concrete proposals are raised to draw attention to
a community-centered approach in preservation that aims to recover people‟s social-cultural
hiSTORIES and CONTRIBUTIONS – the cultural capital for future generations of Penangites
and tourists alike.
The Vanishing hiSTORY a Multi-Clan Communal Site
This communal site is a waterfront settlement created over a century ago by Chinese
immmigrants sharing common historical, geographical and lineage origin. Currently there are
eight surviving clusters of residential jetties and seven clans - the Seh3 Lim Keo4 , Seh Chew Keo,
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd, Rediscovering Hi stori c Communal Sites and 4/26
Commemorating their historie s – The Ca se of the Clan Jetties
The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
Seh Tan Keo, Seh Lee Keo, Chap Seh Keo5 , Seh Yeoh Keo and Seh Koay Keo. Except for the
Chap Seh Keo (mixed surname jetty), each jetty used to be exclusively 6 inhabited by its
respective clansmen. In fact this is the distinctive identity of the clan jetties and differentiates
them from other jetty communities like the Noordin Ghaut Jetty, Peng Arn Jetty, and Ban Liaw
Jetty7 , which are located further south, along the Jelutong seafront. Collectively, they constitute
Penang‟s foreshore floating population. In the past, there were more jetties along the Weld Quay
waterfront – like the Poh Lan/Lallang Jetty, the Hup Choon Jetty, old Lee Jetty and the old Ong
Jetty8 .
As a communal site there is interesting homogeneity and diversity, as well as differences
and conflict amongst and within the clan jetties. From the outside, the jetties are a maze of
dilapidated planks, resembling an old deteriorating neighbourhood. The area was once (and still
is, though far less) reputed as dangerous and unsafe, a haven for thugs and underground activities.
In the past, government officials have declared it a hotbed of secret society gangsters, smuggling
and drug addiction. For many, the place abounds with awe and mystery. But it is actually not
different from any other low-income community. Perhaps exceptional is that they were once
closely knit clan communities, which shared a common lineage and settlement history, which
stood out as an isolated and distinct ethnic enclave.
Occupants of the clan jetties are descendants from Fukien Province in China. The Chews,
for example originated from the south-eastern coast of China – from Heng Nar Sia of Tung Arn,
in the Perfecture of Chuanchou. They were also maritime clan communities in China. Thus when
they emigrated, they also tended to „chiam hie kau‟ (literally situate themselves at the waterfront)
when establishing their overseas economic settlements and pursuits 9 . Possessing little skill or
capital, they were immediately drawn into the pool of port coolies much needed to service the
flourishing entreport trade then. The Weld Quay waterfront provided ample work opportunities.
The clan coolies became the „muscles‟ and „lifebelt‟ of the port‟s entrepot trade. Subsequently the
waterfront clan communities became very dependent on the port activities, and were directly
affected by changes in the entreport trade and the changing port policies. Some of the jetty
clansmen like the Koays, Tans and Yeohs were also involved in the charcoal and firewood
business10 .
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd, Rediscovering Hi stori c Communal Sites and 5/26
Commemorating their historie s – The Ca se of the Clan Jetties
The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
As typical of early Chinese immigration and settlement patterns, fellow provincials
tended to band together. They emigrated as bachelors with their „hia lee‟ (clansmen). They
helped each other to find employment and accommodation. They also utilized clan ties for mutual
help and protection. Like most pioneer immigrants, many of them only intended to work hard for
a few years, and return to China with their accumulated savings. However, attracted by the
abundance of work in the flourishing port, most of them settled and began to arrange for the
immigration of their kinsmen and later their families. This increase in immigration was
encouraged by the expansion in the volume of trade in the 19th and early 20th century. The
upsurge in trade with Asian countries towards the end of the 19th and early 20th century and from
1933 onwards increased the demand for port labourers, especially for the coastal barter trade.
The historic recognition of this communal site comes from its legacy of lineage (clan)
organization (and settlement) and from the fact that they have survived the threat of modernity for
over a hundred years. What is often forgotten is the people‟s history and contribution to the
growth and prosperity of Penang as the center of maritime trade in the 19th and early 20th century.
In fact the formation and transformation of the clan jetties are closely intertwined with the
development of the Penang port. The demise of the Penang free port status also marked the
breakdown of the communities‟ communal (clan) organization although there have been various
attempts of reconstitution to maintain its survival (see Chan 1980).
It is not possible to talk about the historic significance of the clan jetties without
mentioning the historical and economic importance of Weld Quay, even though the Chinese
multi-clan settlement is the historic landmark of Weld Quay. In fact their existence was symbiotic
– the clan jetties could not have been established without the entreport trade of Weld Quay and
Weld Quay‟s entrepot trade would not have thrived without the coolie labour from the clan jetties
who supplied almost all the labour of the quay as cargo handlers, boatman, sampan (small boat)
rowers and related casual odd job workers. Together with their counterparts from India, the
Chinese clan coolies were the lifebelt of the port‟s entrepot trade in Weld Quay. Weld Quay was
also the age-old harbour front of bustling maritime activities big European trading companies like
Boustead, Behn Meyer and Peterson Simons. (This why in the second part of this paper it is
proposed that the conservation and commemoration of the clan jetties be integrated into a
revitalization of the whole milieu of Weld Quay which will then include the contributions and
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd, Rediscovering Hi stori c Communal Sites and 6/26
Commemorating their historie s – The Ca se of the Clan Jetties
The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
hiSTORIES of other communal groups in the cultural and economic landscape of Weld Quay.) In
a description of the congested and busy waterfront, Courtenay (1962: 88-89) wrote:
“.. At all times the basins are crowded with lighters and junks, which unload their
cargoes directly onto lorries at the wharf side. Chinese labourers in an endless
chain, perhaps consisting of 20 or more men, carry sacks or bundles along a
gangplank to the shore, pass a tally clerk who checks the number, and leave their
burdens onto the lorries drawn up at the very edge of the wharf, where they are
weighed and stacked. Operations are often directed by the Chinese merchant or
his foremen.”
This paper presents an overview of all the clan jetties but does not deliberate on the nuances of
each. However the case of Chew Jetty is often referred to as illustration.
.. settlement history ..
Although the jetty settlements became a place of residence only in the late 19th century, a
community of sorts had existed among the clan labourers much earlier. Prior to 1882 11 , there were
references that waterfront coolies lived in attap roofed, stilt houses immediately behind the
original seafront12 . This is well supported by some elderly jetty residents who remembered their
fathers‟ accounts of their earlier residence in places like Tok Aka Lane, Acheen St and Armenian
St., which are all located in the vicinity of the Weld Quay waterfront and are Penang‟s first set of
roads, immediately behind the original coastline. The earliest available account of the jetty
dwellers was by Mohammed Naurgh (Weld Quay committee, 1927) who noted that he had
known the foreshore since 1917:
.. At the end of a great many of these piers are a lot of people living in houses
there .. The people living there are Chinese. They have temporary licences
renewed annually ..
According to some of the residents,
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd, Rediscovering Hi stori c Communal Sites and 7/26
Commemorating their historie s – The Ca se of the Clan Jetties
The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
“.. these jetties were built during the „lau eng chiu‟ (old British administration).
We used them to berth our twakows and sampans. After a while, some gangs
began monopolizing certain jetties. As each gang usually comprised of people of
the same clan, soon certain clan laid claim to their sole use. On ly sampans
belonging to that clan and coolies of that surname used that particular jetty.”
It was only after the construction of the Quay, which linked the ends of the ghauts and the
reclamation of the city‟s seafront in 1882 that physical construction at the waterfront was
possible. Over time settlements grew on the foundation of the short public landing stages
provided by the colonial government to help ease the entrepot trade traffic further north. These
jetties were first used and then became identif ied and dominated by the respective clan members
for the loading and unloading of goods and for the mooring of their sampans. Later a shed was
built to provide shelter and rest for those waiting the arrival of the cargo sampans. Soon the shed
was converted into a communal house for residence and from then, the number of houses
increased.
The following is a personal account of this development by an elderly first generation
immigrant who is no longer alive:
“.. My father told me that when he first landed here, there were no houses along
the foreshore. The place was a char hionh (wood yard) littered with planks and
firewood. The foreshore was always filled with sacks of cargo, interspersed with
bullock carts and firewood dumps. There were only short stone jetties which
were constantly surrounded by sampans and which were a hive of activity.
According to my grandfather, at first there was only a kongsi choo (communal
house) occupied by the bachelor labourer who had traveled here with their
clansmen to seek their fortune, like my grandfather. If they earned enough, they
would arrange for their families to emigrate and would then move out to a
separate room. These rooms were erected as the need arouse. Soon the kongsi
house looked like a long house with numerous adjoining rooms. After
accumulating sufficient money, they would build their own house and move out.”
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd, Rediscovering Hi stori c Communal Sites and 8/26
Commemorating their historie s – The Ca se of the Clan Jetties
The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
Over time more huts sprung up and fulfilled the dual functions of work place and
residence. Soon the jetty also expanded as more immigrants came and brought their families
over. A map dated 1928, by Mitchell and Vaghan Lee shows that the Lim, Chew, Tan and Yeoh
jetties were already clearly established with sheds lining one side of each jetty. This was
probably encouraged by Francis Light‟s policy of allowing settlers to occupy the land and
promising them future title to it. Though assured by the British of legal recognition of their
houses, these squatters were only given temporary occupation licenses following the
Independence of Malaya. The TOLs have to be renewed annually and fees vary according to the
size of the house.
The jetty settlements expanded in the early 20th century at the peak of the Nanyang
immigration in the 1910s and later in the 1920s, with the immigration and settlement of the
womenfolk. However, as squatters, the jetties did not have basic amenities like water and
electricity. Ah Lee Poh remembered that:
“.. We only got our water and electricity after the Penang municipal
election in 195713 . Khoo Yat See asked us to vote for him, promising us
these two favours in return. We, the Chews, got the water and electricity
first. Then other jetties also benefited .. Before the water came we had to
carry the water in kerosene tins from the main road. For those who were
lazy to go and bathe there, they used the seawater during high tide and
washed themselves later with some clear tap water. There were also
some who tried to earn something out of this by transporting the tap
water to the respective houses and selling it at 15 cents for two kerosene
tins or 25 cents for four.”
The first residential jetties were the Lim, Chew, Tan and Yeoh, though the Ongs and Lees
already had their work jetties at the northern section of Weld Quay much earlier. These have
remained at their original location, though each of them has undergone major changes. The Lim
jetty with its original 42 houses were burnt during the Japanese bombing of Penang in December
1941 (Land Office File, Penang). After the war, 26 of the houses were rebuilt. The Yeoh Jetty
was also ill fated. According to the residents, their bridge, once the longest, was wrecked by a
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd, Rediscovering Hi stori c Communal Sites and 9/26
Commemorating their historie s – The Ca se of the Clan Jetties
The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
ship and has not been rebuilt. The damage became permanent with the laying of underground
water pipes.
The Koay Jetty was only built in the 1950s, followed by the Lee and the Mixed Surname
Jetty in the 1960s. According to the Chews, the Mixed Surname Jetty was an extension of their
jetty. As a result of over-population, many of them squatted in the vicinity of the Chew Jetty.
Through the leadership of a Chew, they agitated for a new jetty. Since there were also squatters
from other clans, the new jetty was called the Mixed Surname Jetty. The Lee Jetty was a
replacement of the old Lee Jetty that was demolished to make way for the new ferry terminal.
.. socio-economic livelihood ..
In the past, practically all the men were sampan rowers or cargo handlers. The sampan
men ferried passengers from and to the coastal trading vessels. Another regular group of
passengers were the sinkeh from the Chinese sailing junks, which brought in hundreds of
immigrants with each arrival. The following description by an elderly immigrant provides some
insights into this sampan ferry service:
“.. When I first arrived as an inexperienced sinkeh, I worked as a sampan man
ferrying passengers with a small sampan at a fee of five or ten cents per person,
depending on how far out the vessel was in mid-stream. I worked independently,
ferrying passengers to and from the Chew jetty only. We were restricted to
business to and from our jetty only. We had to hire out our sampans in turn so
that access to passengers was a “first come first get” basis. We could carry a
maximum of eight passengers per trip. Remaining passengers would be ferried by
the next sampan in line. If, however, there was only one passenger I had to make
do with it, if it was my turn. When passengers alight from their ships, we lined
our sampans against the side of the ships and waited. Most of us Chews served
passengers from the small sailing boats as these were anchored nearer to o ur
jetty. The Lees served mainly the big ships from China which could only be
anchored at the deep water nearer the Lee Jetty.”
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd, Rediscovering Hi stori c Communal Sites and 10/26
Commemorating their historie s – The Ca se of the Clan Jetties
The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
As the coastal barter trade increased significantly in the 1930s, transportation of goods
became more important than transportation of passengers. Generally there was no restriction as to
which jetty should transport which country‟s goods, though a monopoly developed over time. For
example, the Lees monopolized the China trade while the Chews monopolized the Indonesian
entrepot trade. Transportation of goods was allotted to various import-export agents who
contracted the labour and boats to the respective ships. Competition between clansmen from the
different jetties over this often led to bitter feuds and rivalries. The fights were usually over
access and monopoly of work consignments. One such feud during which the present petrol kiosk
site by the Lim Jetty served as the battleground could still be recalled vividly by many chews.
This fight in which a Chew clansman was killed, resulted in a long and bitter rivalry. In another
fight, the Chews teamed up with the Lims against the Lees, who wanted a monopoly of China‟s
trade. The Lims were ousted straight away as the Lees attacked from under the jetty and removed
all the jetty‟s floor planks. During these fights, crates of empty bottles were sometimes thrown at
rival sampans.The Lee gang was then the largest and strongest, and was notoriously known as the
„Hai Teh Ong‟ (Sea King). Because of their constant rivalry, relationships between the jetties
were very antagonistic. All activities were inward looking and clan focused, imbued with a strong
sense of competition with other clans.
Those who did not have the initial capital for a sampan, were engaged as cargo handlers
carrying the „pau tau‟ gunny sacks from or to the sampans through the jetty thoroughfare to be
transported by bullock carts, and later to lorries waiting by the roadside. Cargo handling during
this period was carried out on a profit sharing system. Under this system, each group organized
itself into gangs of 15-35 clansmen headed by a „kepala‟ (leader), who acted as the representative
in all dealings with consignees and in attending to other matters connected.
The Japanese occupation brought the first economic disruption to the then stabilizing
economic livelihood. During the Japanese Occupation, minimal trading continued after the initial
attack. Smaller vessels from Hong Kong, Indonesia and Thailand came. Most of these vessels
were smuggling rice. Many of the jetty folks became engaged in „buying and selling‟ of essential
items like foodstuff, which often were smuggled goods as well, particularly rice. This was how
the reputation of the jetties as a smuggling area originated.
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd, Rediscovering Hi stori c Communal Sites and 11/26
Commemorating their historie s – The Ca se of the Clan Jetties
The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
The Japanese occupation also changed significantly the role of the womenfolk. Prior to it
the role of „rice-earner‟ fell entirely on the men. The women were confined to housekeeping and
childbearing. However, with the Japanese Occupation, the source of income of the males was
badly affected as most of the trading activities were at a standstill. Because of this, the women
had to seek ways of augmenting the household income. The womenfolk were very enterprising,
cashing in on any opportunity available, as illustrated by the example below:
“.. During the Japanese Occupation I bought and sold rice and other provisions,
smuggled goods across to Butterworth and distilled samsu (rice wine) for sale.
With the help of my children, I used to buy rice from the boats and bring it out to
sell. On average we could sell about three gantangs a day without being noticed.
From the profit I was able to buy some other food and vegetables for the children
.. I used to wear as many as eight pairs of slacks and smuggle them across to
Butterworth. On one occasion a malay woman custom officer became suspicious
of the bulk around me and discovered the slacks. She wanted to fine me
M$250.00. I told her I did not have the money. Then she said that since I could
not pay the fine I had to be out in custody. I was willing to go. Then she asked
how much money I had on me, so I poured out everything from my purse, which
added up to M$24.00 only. She took all the money and wanted to confiscate the
slacks as well. I threatened that I would jump into the sea if she did so. After
sitting for a few hours she asked me again whether M$24.00 was really all that I
had. I boldly asked her to search me again if she was not satisfied, though there
was some money hidden in my belt. She took the M$24.00 and reluctantly
released me with the slacks. In one day I used to make two to three trips across
Butterworth starting as early as six in the morning .. Distilling samsu (rice wine)
was another illegal activity I had to do. I did it myself in the bathroom while
another man from the jetty did the sale. I was distilling samsu for more than two
years before I was caught. The samsu was sold for medicinal purposed. .. All in
all I made a few hundred dollars a year from all these. Otherwise how could my
family have survived?..”
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd, Rediscovering Hi stori c Communal Sites and 12/26
Commemorating their historie s – The Ca se of the Clan Jetties
The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
With the return of the British administration in 1946 trading activities were slowly re-
established. As this regained momentum, the jetty folks resumed their traditional occupations.
Over time, the women and children as well were absorbed into the flourishing port-generated
economic activities. For those involved in servicing smaller vessels, this was a period of boom up
to the 1960s. Even though there was a general decline in the traditional entreport trade, the coastal
barter trade with Sumatra flourished. As a result of Indonesia‟s complete break in relations with
the Netherlands in 1961, tin ore previously exported to Holland for smelting was sent to Penang
instead 14 . The demand for and earnings of cargo handlers was so lucrative that some jetties, like
the Chew Jetty became the contact base and employment site for their clansmen from outside the
jetty as well.
The entreport trade also generated many other subsidiary employment opportunities,
especially for the women and children. This was the initial incorporation of the jetty ec onomy
into the urban informal sector, though they were all centred round and generated from port related
activities. The women would undertake to prepare meals and do laundry for the ships crew, wash
the ships‟ decks, grade onions etc. The children performed errands such as carrying their parcels
or picking vegetables that were dropped along the jetty thoroughfare. Many of the Indonesian
vessels apparently brought gunny sacks of fresh vegetables to be sold locally as well as for re -
export to Singapore and Hong Kong. One of them described:
.. sometimes the fresh vegetables spilled onto the jetty and as children we were
told to collect them. The better ones my mother would use for our meals. Some
fresh vegetables were also dropped from the bundles of fresh supply purchased
for the ships before they began on their next trip ..
The nature of the sampan ferry service and cargo handling necessitated internal
collaboration and organization (see Chan 1980: 97-99; 166-170). The „pan-keo‟15 system and
„coolie kongsi‟ brought in some form of structured cooperation to play its role in reinforcing the
centripetal orientation of the jetty community. The spin-off from this also helped establish a
common jetty fund, like in the Chew Jetty. It helped to maintain some mutual interdependence,
and a sense of community spirit and pride, especially during the annual religious celebrations. Up
to this period the jetties were rather closed communities as their lives revolved around the jetty,
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd, Rediscovering Hi stori c Communal Sites and 13/26
Commemorating their historie s – The Ca se of the Clan Jetties
The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
and their economic and social needs were catered for by their clan organization in the jetty. The
jetty was all their economic, social and cultural life.
Sampan ferry service and cargo handling were the predominant occupations up to the
early 1960s for the Lees, Ongs, Lims and Chews. The Koays, Tans and Yeohs were largely
involved in the firewood and charcoal trade. This was primarily due to the physical proximity to
the storage grounds for firewood and charcoal16 . However, this pattern has changed drastically.
Since the 1960s, there has been a major restructuring of occupations in the jetties following
changes in the organisation of the port and its trading activities. From being port and sea -
dependent, many of the jetty residents have had to move out to earn a living.
Changes in the port administration like the incorporation of the port into the Malayan
Customs Union, the establishment and development of other ports brought a decline in the
volume of trade and related economic activities. Cargo handling ended completely when the
government offic ially closed all cargo handling in the Chinese jetties in Weld Quay. The
inception of the Port Labour Board in 1965 required all port stevedores to be recruited by and
registered with the Board culminated the termination of the jetties traditional occupation and their
collective clan-based work organization. The loss of Penang‟s free port status in 1969 also
affected the sampan ferry service as shipping vessels no longer found it attractive to stop by
Penang.
Subsequently, unemployment for the men set in. The varied economic activities of the
women and children also ended. Many of the jetty folks capitalized on their location at the
foreshore and sea-faring skills they had and turned to fishing (trawling). Many also moved out to
seek employment on land. The jetties also opened up as a place of work for non-clansmen
especially in the case of fishing where outside technical assistance and investment was sought.
Soon the jetty also became a place of residence for outsiders. The rents were welcomed
supplements to household income. While a couple of jetties like the Chew benefited for a short
period from a sudden influx of Taiwan and Korean trawlers calling at Penang to discharge their
catch for export. However, the imposition of a ban by the government in 1976 on Taiwanese crew
from coming ashore (St.Echo, 5th . June 1976) made it pointless for them to stop over in Penang
since they could not come ashore for entertainment or the purchase of fresh supplies and
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd, Rediscovering Hi stori c Communal Sites and 14/26
Commemorating their historie s – The Ca se of the Clan Jetties
The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
provisions. An increase in general port charges and duties and inflation, further diverted these
trawlers to Singapore instead.
Starting from mid-70s, most of the jetty clansmen could no longer rely on the port or the
sea for their economic livelihood. They had to turn outside for employment. With the almost total
loss of easily accessible occupations which were in one way or another related to their ecological
niche, the jetty folks were forced into the sphere of small scale pursuits in the so-called informal
sector within the surrounding urban areas which form the historical commercial center of Penang.
Given the commercial and service oriented nature of economic activities in the urban center the
easiest form of absorption was therefore in petty trade, small scale processing industries and
consumption services concerned with the processing and production of food. Their low levels of
formal education and lack of vocational and technical skills blocked their entry into the urban
corporate sector. The current occupational structure of the jetties shows a high degree of
incorporation into the surrounding urban economy through a concentration primarily in the
informal sector occupations. Only a very small minority found jobs in the lower levels of blue-
collar wage-employment.
The general increase in economic problems and hardships had obvious effects on the
social and communal life of the clan communities. Previous forms of economic cooperation had
broken down. Faced with unemployment and the inaccessibility of alternative jobs, people
became more self-centered and individualistic. Economic differentiation became more
pronounced. On the one hand, there was the small minority who had successfully tapped the
benefits of previous boom periods. These people had not channeled back their capital for the
generation of other benefits to the community. The majority ekes a living by selling their labour
in small industries of the informal sector or precariously engaged in some form of self-
employment.
.. social-cultural disintegration ..
Except for the Mixed Surname Jetty, each jetty settlement used to be an exclusive clan
commune. Residence according to patri-lineage was still upheld until the early 1960s. The jetties
were more than a residential base for their respective „chin tong‟ (kinsmen). Kinship determined
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd, Rediscovering Hi stori c Communal Sites and 15/26
Commemorating their historie s – The Ca se of the Clan Jetties
The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
access to work opportunities as well. As a clan community each jetty settlement had an exclusive
identity and solidarity derived from kinship and in the collective communal worship of their clan
deity. Each jetty settlement functioned as a corporate unit as well. It owned common property and
protects its own clansmen against outsiders. Internal differentiation within the jetty clan was not
so obvious. There was more homogeneity than differences. Those who were in a more superior
status (richer) were the patrons or providers of employment. Work and social life centred around
and within each of the jetty as a clan community. Social life and contacts were restricted largely
within the confines of the jetty.
Changes in the social (kinship) structure of the community, including patterns of social
interaction and relationships started to set in from the early 1960s. With increasing deteriorating
economic situation, the jetty folks were forced to seek employment outside their original work
bases as well as opening up the jetty to outsiders. Outside employment exposed the jetty folks to
the larger world beyond the jetty. Other aspects of social life also subsequently began to expand
outside the jetty area. This change in the social life became more pronounced as peer groups and
friendship circles developed outside of the jetty. Responses and adaptation to the economic
decline have also similarly affected social patterns of family and community life. The sum result
of all these was that lineage and descent could no longer form the over-riding basis for access to
employment and residence in the jetties. Consequently it also lost its effectiveness as a rallying
force in the organization of the community. As a result the social fabric of the community became
undermined.
With increasing difficulties of economic survival, large extended households diffused
into smaller units. In the past, each family is related directly to the clan lineage. In order to work
or live in the jetty, one had to be a clansman. Patri-locality was the customary practice and
understood ruling. Today however, with the inclusion of surname residents who are not
necessarily lineage kinsmen, the jetties have become more mixed in terms of kinship
composition. Daughters bring in husbands to stay, while outsiders are allowed to rent or sub-rent
rooms to augment their income. Thus, residence is no longer restricted to patri-locality. The
jetties no longer function as lineage or clan settlements even though they continue to be named
and referred as such.
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd, Rediscovering Hi stori c Communal Sites and 16/26
Commemorating their historie s – The Ca se of the Clan Jetties
The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
In some jetties, as a result of attempts to curb further disintegration of the community,
certain forms of internal re-organization especially in relation to the functioning and maintenance
of the jetty were revived and reconstituted. In some situation, communal workshop took a greater
impetus as in the case of Chew Jetty whose communal offerings to “Tee Kong” (Heaven God)
have increased in scale and popularity over the years. In fact this annual commemoration is
highly publicized as a cultural (religious) event and tour ist attraction for Penang. Sad to say, this
event seems to be the only surviving communal practice, and only found in Chew Jetty.
.. a dying communal site ..
It is apparent that the clan jetties, like any other minority cannot resist the march of
events in the larger globalising society and sustain itself in an enclave of traditions. Over the past
century new forms of community adaptation, remodeling and reconstitution of previous forms of
social organization have evolved. These processes are in many ways conserving tendencies that
may prolong the religious life, and hence cultural identity, of some jetties, as evident in the case
of Chew Jetty. However, the breakdown of the cohesive function of kinship and growing
stratification as well as increasing differences, will continue to prevail. This will ultimately lead
to the final breakdown of the clan jetties as social-cultural communities. As already evident, most
of the clan jetties merely continue to persist as low cost housing for the urban poor in Pena ng.
Unless a more robust regeneration of communal life is rejuvenated, the social-cultural
distinctiveness of the clan jetties will soon dissipate into an amorphous floating population of low
income Penangites.
If it is desirable to conserve the identities and histories of communal sites like the clan
jetties, how best can such efforts be carried out? What will be a viable and sustainable approach
which can provide a respectful and inclusive space for all the diverse cultural/ethnic groups and
minorities, in the context of a shrinking Penang where land for development and redevelopment
is always contested? How can preservation really celebrate the lives of the people affected? How
can preservation benefit the local population and tourists alike? Some concrete proposals are
delineated in the next section.
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd, Rediscovering Hi stori c Communal Sites and 17/26
Commemorating their historie s – The Ca se of the Clan Jetties
The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
Reclaiming Penang’s Multi-Cultural Heritage – the place of historic communal sites
The issue of preserving Penang‟s heritage is not a new concern. Consumer and
environment groups like Consumers Association of Penang have long advocated for the
preservation of Penang‟s heritage in its environment and natural resources. The Penang Heritage
Trust has started to restore historical buildings of architectural value and historic monuments.
However, it is only through the recent Penang Story community project that the neglect of our
cultural legacy has been made more apparent.
The degeneration and precarious state of the Chinese surname clan jetties as described in
the first section, portrays the reality of historical cultural communities in the face of modernity. In
fact the Clan Jetties of Weld Quay is one of the very few communal sites that have stayed in tact
for over a century and survived the threat of urban development even though the cultural
practices and social institutions that see to their daily functioning as a communal site are fast
disappearing. Many other communal sites like the Persian, Jewish or Japanese enclaves have
already vanished from the current urban and cultural landscape of Penang. Even the street names
that marked their residential presence in those milieus have been replaced. Once removed, the
tangible link or evidence of their social-cultural history will be erased for future generations.
These parts of our cultural heritage cannot be reinstated and may not be recovered in time to
come. In fact, the multi-cultural legacy of Penang is often forgotten given the hegemonic
construction of pluralism in Malaysia vis-à-vis the three major ethnic groups of Malays, Chinese,
and Indians. Thus the need and value of reclaiming our multi-cultural heritage is imminent. The
significance of restoring and protecting our cultural capital is therefore apparent. Its rationale,
which has engaged extensive deliberation elsewhere is not the scope of this paper.
The different local communities colloquia of the Penang Story project have created a
public space for rediscovering the hiSTORIES of the various historical and contemporary
communal sites especially those that are no longer distinctively occupying a specific locale. The
various community stories have collectively unraveled the interesting, yet almost forgotten social-
historical processes that have shaped the cultural and physical landscape of early Penang and their
respective contributions in Penang‟s development as a global multi-cultural port city. Indeed the
colloquia have stimulated tremendous interest, memories and insights. Not only that. The urgency
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd, Rediscovering Hi stori c Communal Sites and 18/26
Commemorating their historie s – The Ca se of the Clan Jetties
The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
for a more thorough and permanent recovery to commemorate the diverse cultural heritage of
these various historical communities is being realised. How can this be achieved? What forms
will be viable and desirable? Who will, should and can be persuaded to par-take in these efforts?
The final section of this paper attempts to address these questions through some guiding
principles and concrete proposals. These ideas are not necessarily new or earth shattering.
Neither do they claim to be exhaustive or comprehensive. They are meant to initiate a discourse
on „what can/should be done‟ and „how‟, and to foster a discussion on the possibility of a Penang
Story People‟s Museum.
First and foremost, I would like to state clearly my conception of preservation is not only
about preserving the memories of cultural traditions or about organising an anthropolog ical
display of the respective communities‟ social-cultural history. While these aspects are
fundamental and interesting in themselves, they should not be the only focus. This paper
recommends that it is equally vital to capture and commemorate the various groups‟ lived
experiences of toil and struggle, resilience and perseverance; and their respective roles, especially
for them to tell their own stories, irrespective of whether the actual communal site is being (or can
be) conserved or not. In this paper, the meaning of conservation and restoration goes beyond the
conservation of the physical site or social cultural dimensions of the communities. More
importantly, it refers to the commemoration of the respective cultural communities – both their
diverse social-cultural heritage, in particular the revival of certain cultural values, and the
people‟s contributions to the history and development of early Penang. It is only through such an
emphasis that the rightful place of historic communal sites and cultural communities can be
recovered in the history and development of early Penang.
To reclaim the multi-cultural heritage of Penang it will be ideal in the long run to recover
and commemorate all communal sites and cultural communities, including those that no longer
exist on the current cultural landscape. This is indeed a colossal and possibly a multi-million
dollar task but a journey of a million miles needs to commence with the first step. A thorough
plan and inventory should be drawn up to map the inclusion of all communal sites and cultural
communities that have existed in Penang before and currently (leading to the publication of an
attractive popular map of Penang‟s mutlti-cultural heritage). Many of them have been identified
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd, Rediscovering Hi stori c Communal Sites and 19/26
Commemorating their historie s – The Ca se of the Clan Jetties
The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
through the colloquia of the Penang Story community project. Care must be taken not to create a
hierarchy or competition amongst the various groups in deciding which is more important or,
should be restored. Each communal site is significant and interesting in its own right, after all
each of them has a legitimate place and a role in the development and historical identity of
Penang. The uniqueness of Penang‟s multi-cultural mosaic will be further enhanced if the
interaction and relationship of the different cultural communities can be highlighted in the
recovery of the communities‟ respective hiSTORIES.
Secondly I would like to raise the issue of participation and ownership. Integrating
cultural heritage conservation into a broad process of community and citizen participation will
enhance civic pride and city-image building among its citizens. A creative and community-
centered participatory approach that includes and involves people from the respective communal
sites/communities and/or their descendants, especially school children will foster ownership (See
section on commemoration houses for the various ways in engaging community participation.).
Understandably, this may not be feasible in all cases. Thirdly, it is essential that the recovery
process entail an educational component where there are deliberately planned opportunities to
revive and affirm desirable values and/or cultural practices of the respective communities. For
example, if it is known that collectivity and collaboration is an extraordinary cultural value of the
clan jetties, then, this value can be promoted through meaningful (for example, school)
community projects especially among the younger generation from the communal site (if it still
exist) and the general public through a program of public awareness and community education. In
this way living memories of positive aspects of communal sites/cultural communities can be
promoted and sustained among future generations of Penangites. This will also be a way to
engage the Penang populace into an awareness and concern for heritage matters. Indeed this can
be an effective way to promote the practice of multi-culturalism in Malaysia.
Three concrete proposals are delineated here – (a) research, especially collaborative
community-based investigation and popular forms of documentation, (b) establishing a series or
center (museum) of commemoration houses of historical/cultural communities sites, and the (c)
a Penang‟s Story People‟s Museum. These are not mutually exclusive. They should be
undertaken as a continual developmental process.
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd, Rediscovering Hi stori c Communal Sites and 20/26
Commemorating their historie s – The Ca se of the Clan Jetties
The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
(a) research and documentation
The Penang Story community project has done a commendable job in stimulating the
interest and response from various individuals and groups (sub-groups) to recover memories of
people‟s lived experiences and lost histories. Amongst the presentations are narratives of various
cultural communities and communal sites, some still surviving or thriving while others are no
longer visible. While these presentations are fascinating and informative, some of them can be
further strengthened by more thorough and collaborative research via social/social history
workshops with the respective communities, empowering then to tell their own stories. For
example, community projects can be undertaken with school children to bring old photos, family
stories etc. to document various dimensions of the communities‟ life. These activities can also be
tied up to community education programs, which can involve other groups as well. Popular forms
of communication using various audio-visual aid and interactive multi-media can be taught as
skills workshops and used in the documentation/research exercise. Apart from the hiSTORIES of
their own lives, practices and cultural traditions the documentation must highlight the place, role,
and contributions of these communities in the historical development of Penang. At the very least,
a Penang Story Series of attractive popular booklets (and other audio-visual forms) can be
produced on each of the communal site/cultural community identified. A multi-cultural heritage
map of early Penang with its original communal sites will also be another interesting publication
to record Penang‟s forgotten past.
(b) commemoration houses on communal sites/cultural communities
A commemoration house is like a miniature museum, which holds the records and
display pertaining to a particular group(s). Various innovative ongoing programs can be
organized to stimulate interest and increase knowledge on the communities to highlight various
aspects of their lives – their origins, beliefs and practice like particular cultural practices or
celebration of specific festivals and the significance behind them. This will create opportunities to
keep the commemoration house alive and involve the local people. An important function of this
house will include an educational role in exposing future generations to the values, culture,
practices and roles of the respective communities, contributing in the long run to the practice and
understanding of living multi-culturalism. An example of this model is the ethnic museum in
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd, Rediscovering Hi stori c Communal Sites and 21/26
Commemorating their historie s – The Ca se of the Clan Jetties
The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
Adelaide and nearer to home is the Chinese museum in Kuching. However, the museum in
Kuching is largely an exhibit center only.
Ideally it would add to the cutting edge for heritage and cultural tourism in Penang if a
commemoration house of each communal site can be constructed in its original locale to house a
display of the hiSTORY, cultural traditions and contributions, and other interactive multi-media
documentation of the community. For example, the Armenian commemoration house in
Armenian Street, the Javanese commemoration house in Acheen Street, the Siamese
commemoration house in Burmah Lane, the Achinese commemoration house in Acheen Street,
etc. However this is unlikely to be possible given the number of communal sites that have been
part of Penang‟s cultural mosaic. Moreover, given the scope of work and costs involved it is
highly unlikely possible to acquire a place in its original locality for each communal site.
An alternative is to capitalise on the milieu of a surviving communal site. A joint
commemoration house that can accommodate the displays and activities of a few communal sites
can be set up in or around the vicinity of the existing communal site. Preferably, this communal
site should be in a strategic location, have historic value as well as potential for revitalisation. The
Clan Jetties of Weld Quay have these qualities. They are strategically situated on the margin of
Georgetown‟s inner city enclave, the part of the island that has been listed as one of the World‟s
100 Most Endangered sites. This is also within the area that has been nominated as the historic
area of Penang to UNESCO World Heritage. As a communal site, the Clan Jetties of Weld Quay
dates back to the 19th century and have been reputed for its clan organization as signified by the
names of the jetties. Hence it has become a popular stop in the Penang city tour itinerary in the
past few decades. Its spectacular physical facade of being a floating village in an urban
metropolis further enhances the tourist attraction of the clan jetties. However, its daily
functioning as a clan community has faded and is fast disintegrating. Unless some form of
regeneration is undertaken, the social-cultural and physical distinctiveness of the jetties will
eventually be lost, even though it may become popular as an affordable low-rent urban housing
area.
However it would not be viable if only the jetties were preserved. Nor would it be
sustainable if the jetties were only physically maintained without any economic or social
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd, Rediscovering Hi stori c Communal Sites and 22/26
Commemorating their historie s – The Ca se of the Clan Jetties
The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
revitalisation. The conservation of the clan jetties will have to be part of an integrated urban
renewal plan to regenerate the whole of Weld Quay. In fact waterfront renewal has been a
popular trend in inner city redevelopment. The historic significance and aesthetic value of the
Weld Quay waterfront has not been tapped sufficiently for Penang‟s development. The state
government has already earmarked the northern portion of Weld Quay to be a marina for sea -
related leisure activities. However no definite plans have been publicised for the southern portion,
where the clan jetties are located. Indeed an economic revitalization of the whole Weld Quay
waterfront is necessary. However this should be tastefully designed to refurbish and incorporate
its existing historical buildings (so that the area does not become another modern commercial
complex) and as well to draw in the added value of the historic landmark of the clan jetties. Part
of the jetty locale can be redeveloped into a landscaped green lung for the inner city. The area can
be enhanced with a dual-linked promenade – northwards to the Fort Cornwallis-Esplanade and
westwards to the inner city enclave. This is also the place where the joint commemoration house
for different communal sites can be sited.
Apart from its current residential function, the jetty settlements can be navigated to be a
commercial (as well as tourist-attraction, but NOT ONLY for tourists) hub for small ethnic based
businesses like craft workshops (making wooden clogs, producing prayer items, local kuih
(cakes), etc) of the various ethnic groups; in particular, those related to the cultural communities
of the joint commemoration house. As part of the conservation plan, the current infrastructure of
the jetties has to be upgraded in terms of basic amenities like sanitation. It can also be anticipated
that over time most of the jetties‟ descendants may not continue to live in the clan jetties as have
already taken place. Their social-cultural practices and institutions of the community may vanish
even before all their clansmen have moved out. Thus, to preserve the cultural heritage of this
group it will be necessary to commence documentation of its hiSTORY. To ensure that some
original aspects of the community are conserved, special effort should be directed at preserving
the temples of the jetties (where still existing) as the symbolic and cultural landmark of the
communal site and its history. The temple space can be encouraged to be the „custodian‟ of the
community. Like in the Chew Jetty, it is the public and cultural space, where non-residing
members of the Chew clan return to make their yearly offerings. In this way the identity of the
communal site is preserved through a continuing set of cultural/religious practice.
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd, Rediscovering Hi stori c Communal Sites and 23/26
Commemorating their historie s – The Ca se of the Clan Jetties
The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
(c) penang story people’s museum
A Penang Story People‟s Museum is similar to the concept of a commemoration house,
except on a bigger scale, and with three other distinct roles – education, research and resource
centre. Instead of a single or a joint commemoration house, the people‟s museum will house the
displays, records and activities of all the communal sites, and other exhibits in one single venue
with myriad set of ongoing activities, using various forms of small group media/workshops,
interactive multimedia and IT.
The Penang Story People‟s Museum can play a more active role as a learning center
which operates a full education service of varied programs for independent visitors, adult groups
and schools. The promotion of education and awareness building, combining different approaches
to learning should be one of its core activities. There should be ongoing creative workshops,
educational programs and special events like production workshops, heritage tours and inner city
outings to engage especially school children during school holidays. Through this their awareness
and interest in communities and our multi-cultural heritage will be increased.
Another related role of this museum would be its research and developmental function. It
can help advance new scholarship through traditional and community-based research and
encourage the investigation and documentation of various aspects of Penang society – past and
present through partnership of the various stakeholders. For example through school projects,
school children can learn to appreciate their contemporary neighbourhood history and the culture
and religions of other ethnic groups. Over time the Penang Story People‟s Museum should
become a rich resource and can develop a resource center or holding on specific topics like early
migration history, etc.
The refurbished Penang Museum has in its current display, a collection of exhibits of
certain ethnic communities. The current collection on ethnic groups and their cultural items can
be strengthened with attractive documentation of the people‟s contributions and lived
experiences. Building on and expanding the existing collection and functions of the Penang
Museum will be another feasible strategy to document and commemorate the hiSTORIES of
Penang‟s diverse communal sites – our multi-cultural heritage.
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd, Rediscovering Hi stori c Communal Sites and 24/26
Commemorating their historie s – The Ca se of the Clan Jetties
The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
The proposals delineated are indeed mammoth. As mentioned earlier each proposal is not
mutually exclusive of the other. They are not and should not be one-off projects. They can be
prioritized and organized as an ongoing endeavour.
By Way of a Conclusion
The Clan Jetties of Weld Quay is a typical example of the inevitable disintegration of a
communal site left on its own. Like other communal sites, given its historic and heritage
significance it deserves to be considered for preservation before its ultimate disappearance. This
paper underscores the point that merely preserving a communal site is not enough to justify its
restoration. Neither will this be desirable nor sustainable. Surviving communal sites need to be
revitalized and reinvented to enable its sustainability and relevance to changing times. Such
efforts need to be approached in ways, which can generate a living heritage that engages with and
involve local communities and the general public, in particular for the younger generation to be
aware of, be able to enjoy, to protect and be proud of our heritage. Only then can our living
cultural heritage can be our cultural capital. It is my hope that this paper can generate a
productive discussion towards this end.
ENDNOTES
1
Also known as Jade Emperor God
2
This part of the paper is drawn from a paper (Chan 2002) for the Penang Story Colloquium on
“History of the Chinese Communities in Penang”.
3
Seh means family name (surname) in hokkien - one of the major Chinese dialects in Penang.
4
Keo means jetty in hokkien.
5
Chap Seh means mixed surname in hokkien.
6
However this qualifying criterion has been modified and reconstituted differently over time to
preserve the lineage identity of the jetties.
7
The origin and settlement history of these jetties differ from the clan jetties.
8
A total of 15 licensed jetties have been recorded (Report of Weld Quay Committee, 1927).
Ms. Chan Lean Heng, Phd, Rediscovering Hi stori c Communal Sites and 25/26
Commemorating their historie s – The Ca se of the Clan Jetties
The Penang Story – International Conference 2002
18-21 April 2002, The City Bayview Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
Organisers: The Penang Heritage Trust & STAR Publications
9
One of the elders also cited other examples of other clan settlements at the Teluk Anson jetty
and the Singapore river where their clansmen in the past also depended on sea or port related
activities for a living.
10
Up to the 1930s the roadside of the quay, in front of the jetties was used a s storage ground for
firewood and charcoal.
11
No one can establish this with certainty. Nor are records available. The survey maps showing
occupation of the Crown land along Weld Quay to Sg. Pinang were lost during the Japanese
Occupation. Information on this is based on oral accounts by the jetty dwellers and cross-
referenced with scanty records of the physical development of the area.
12
The seafront then was much further inland, where the present Beach St. is.
13
This information was crosschecked with Mr. Khoo Yat See, a former municipal councilor, who
also claimed that he was responsible for obtaining water and electricity for the Chew Jetty.
14
It has been estimated that almost one third of total Indonesian exports went through Singapore
and Penang.
15
Literally – forming a bridge. It consists of a series of sampans lined up to form a bridge for
passengers to use.
16
Up to the 1930s, the roadside of the quay in front of the jetties was used a storage grounds for
firewood and charcoal. However, during the Japanese Occupation, the stores were entirely moved
further south to Bakau St and Nordin St Ghaut.
REFERENCES
CHAN L.H. (1980). The Jetty Dwellers of Penang : Incorporation and Marginalisation of an
Urban Clan Community. Unpublished M. Soc. Sc. Thesis. School of Social Sciences, University
Sains Malaysia, Penang.
CHAN L.H. (2002). The Clan Jetties of Weld Quay. A Living Heritage? Paper presented at the
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